Messi India Tour: Messi and Luis Suarez will walk a ramp in Mumbai for “A Cause,” and World Cup memorabilia is up for auction

Messi India Tour: During his trip in India, Argentine football legend Lionel Messi will walk the runway “for a cause” in Mumbai. The organizers have asked him to bring some memorabilia from their 2022 World Cup victory for sale.

uesday, PTI was informed by Satadru Dutta, the only promoter of the ‘G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025’, that Messi, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, and longtime striking partner Luis Suarez would all appear in a 45-minute fashion segment on the evening of December 14.

“It will be a fashion show with a charitable purpose. The night is completely booked. Celebrity cricket players, Bollywood stars, millionaires, entrepreneurs, and models will all be there. John Abraham, Jackie Shroff, Tiger, and others,” Dutta told PTI.

The organizers have “made a formal request” for Messi to bring “some memorabilia of the 2022 World Cup which will be auctioned” during the tour’s Mumbai leg, while Suarez will also participate in a Spanish music performance.

The Padel Cup at Cricket Club of India is held at 3:30 pm before the Mumbai tournament begins at 5 pm at Wankhede Stadium.

Kolkata leg of the Messi India Tour
Due to security concerns, Messi’s “biggest ever statue”—a 70-foot structure—will be unveiled remotely from his team hotel during the Kolkata leg.

“He will do it from the hotel since the cops have not granted authorization. In the morning, it would be completed practically, according to a Kolkata Police source.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was originally supposed to attend the opening in person at Sreebhumi. According to Kolkata Police sources, Messi would arrive in the city early on Saturday morning around 1:30 am and check into a five-star hotel on the EM Bypass.

There will be a sponsor-only meet-and-greet program from 9.30 to 10.30 a.m.

In honor of Messi’s fondness for mate (Argentine herbal tea), a unique Argentine-Indian fusion culinary event will take place on the sidelines.

Along with a variety of Bengali seafood specialties, such as hilsa, and regional desserts, it will include Argentine herbal tea with Assamese flavors.

For the forthcoming Durga Puja season, a 25-by-20-foot Messi mural will also be displayed.

“Not only will he unveil his biggest-ever statue, but we will also have a huge mural, which will be kept at strategic Durga Puja pandal-hopping locations so that all his fans will have an opportunity to paint and post messages in a nearby message box,” Dutta said.

During the tour’s Kolkata leg, Messi will get the mural at Salt Lake Stadium. Over 70,000 people are anticipated to attend the Kolakta event.

“There are 75,000 seats available for spectators. Due to the high demand, we have opened counter sales as of Tuesday,” Dutta said.

Messi will go to Salt Lake Stadium after the meet-and-greet before leaving for Hyderabad at 2:00 pm.

Hyderabad leg of Messi’s India tour
In order to establish a pan-India tour, the organizers included Hyderabad after canceling his planned friendly match in Kochi, which Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had first scheduled on November 17. The itinerary is as follows: East (Kolkata), South (Hyderabad), West (Mumbai), and North (New Delhi).

With the support of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Messi will visit the Hyderabad GOAT Cup at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal starting at 7 p.m.

Penalty shootouts, a 7v7 celebrity match, a masterclass for identified young talent, and a Messi-celebrating musical event are all part of the Hyderabad schedule.

PM Modi will meet Messi.
On Monday, the World Cup champion will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Delhi home. During the New Delhi leg of the GOAT Tour, Messi will present congratulations to the Minerva Academy young squad, who won three major European trophies earlier this year.

During their July-August trip, the U-14 and U-15 teams from the Punjab-based program won the Gothia Cup, Dana Cup, and Norway Cup in addition to making it to the Helsinki Cup final. While Messi is in the city, a nine-member celebrity match will also take place.

On August 15, Messi’s trip to India—his first since playing a friendly match for Argentina versus Venezuela in Kolkata in 2011—was officially approved.

Prior to finalizing the transaction, Dutta had met Messi’s father, who also serves as his agent. On February 28, the two met for 45 minutes at Messi’s house.